Blog

Welcome to the season of
Lent. In our modern microwave culture, we expect everything to happen at the
push of a button, in an instant. But then the Church urges us to realize that
there are many times that, instead of a quick lesson, we need something deeper.
Rather than offering a well-honed sermon on marriage, family or career choices,
Jesus gives parables. Even when he was asked simple questions, like
whether to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus gave complex answers to challenge how we
think of the currency we use. Jesus was not interested in telling us exactly
what to do or what to think; he challenged us on who we are to “be” and how we are to think.
He knew thinking and doing flows out of being.

Perhaps that’s one of the
reasons why the Church Calendar makes Lent a full season. Our overarching
verses for Lent come from Paul’s words in Romans:

I
appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God…Do not be
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and
acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:1-2, NRSV adapted)

Transformation
is not a quick fix. It is not instant oatmeal made in the microwave. It is the rye or barley
seed that needs months or more to mature into a full-size plant producing
grains along with the oat (i.e., a by-product) that needs to move from the Far
East to Quaker plants to grocery shelves and end up in your pantry.
Transformation is a long-term process.

In this season of
transformation, we at First UMC are moving toward the CROSS, where we will use
the word “cross” as an acronym. Each week, starting with last Sunday, we will
focus on one letter:

C – (February 22nd) where we CHOOSE to
follow, to deny ourselves and take up our cross